Fans in five of Brazil's southern states will likely have a new league to watch in 2016.

A competition meant to be the precursor to a Brazilian Premier League has been officially formed after a meeting by member clubs in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday.

The statute for the "Liga Sul-Minas-Rio," a regional tournament consisting of clubs from five states in Brazil's south, was signed by its 13 founding members -- Flamengo and Fluminense of Rio, Internacional and Gremio of Rio Grande do Sul, Atletico-MG and Cruzeiro of Minas Gerais, Coritiba and Atletico-PR of Parana, and Joinville, Chapacoense,...